Means for stabilizing digestion should be in every home medicine cabinet. It is impossible to know in advance when these medicines will be needed. Diarrhea, vomiting, flatulence and bloating can occur at the most inopportune moment. What to do if you notice that a child has diarrhea? We will try to understand the causes of this ailment and how to resolve it as soon as possible.
Signs of diarrhea and related symptoms
Diarrhea, or diarrhea, is the secretion of liquid feces. In most cases, patients also have an increased desire for bowel movement. Diarrhea in a child may occur at the same time with some side symptoms. Most often these are cramping in the stomach and / or intestines, vomiting. Sometimes there is also an increase in body temperature and general malaise, weakness. Diarrhea almost always begins suddenly and unexpectedly. In some cases, diarrhea stops after a few hours (less often - a few days) without special treatment, in others it requires the supervision of specialists and the patient's stay in the hospital. If symptoms of diarrhea are observed in a child, the parent's task is to carefully monitor the baby's well-being during the first hours and immediately seek medical help if necessary. Diarrhea can be a symptom of a number of serious illnesses, and some of which require immediate special treatment.
Causes of Diarrhea
Diarrhea in a preschool child can very often be an individual reaction to certain products or their combinations. Especially carefully you should monitor the well-being of the baby when entering new dishes in his menu. The cause of diarrhea can also be the use of unboiled water or products with an expired shelf life. Digestive disorders can occur when taking certain pharmaceuticals, usually this is indicated in the instructions for use, in the side effects section. Vomiting, diarrhea, temperature in a child are simultaneously observed with a viral infection. If such symptoms appear, it is recommended to immediately show the baby to the doctor. Diarrhea can be a manifestation of a number of specific diseases and disorders of the digestive system. In especially impressionable and sensitive babies, diarrhea can be a consequence of emotional experiences, stresses.
Diarrhea in infants
A newborn baby receives all the necessary substances, trace elements and enzymes along with mother's milk. Diarrhea is rarely observed in children who are breastfed. Digestive system disorders usually occur with the introduction of complementary foods and the transition to substitutes for breast milk. Sometimes diarrhea can begin with teething. During this period, the child has an increased secretion of saliva, due to its constant swallowing, the stomach and intestines can be overflowed with excess fluid. This condition does not require special treatment, but it is still advisable to show the baby to the doctor. Diarrhea and temperature in a child under 2 years old can be symptoms of an infectious disease. Young children taste everything - their own hands, toys, and any objects that they can reach. In the course of such research activities, an infection can enter the child's body. It is difficult for even the most attentive parents to determine the true causes of a digestive disorder on their own at home. In some cases, laboratory tests may be required to make an accurate diagnosis. It is for this reason that diarrhea in infants is a significant reason for contacting a pediatrician.
Diarrhea in children aged 2-3 years
After two years, children are just beginning to learn the rules of personal hygiene. A kid at this tender age can not hesitate to continue to eat cookies that have fallen to the ground or to lick a bright toy. The situation is aggravated when a child enters kindergarten. The body of the child only produces immunity. At this point, it is especially vulnerable to infections and parasites. At the same time, the baby freely contacts with peers and does not always monitor the cleanliness of his hands. Diarrhea in a child at 2 years of age is also an occasion to contact a medical institution. If the symptoms of the painful condition do not go away within a few hours, the baby should be urgently shown to the doctor. However, digestive disorders in early preschool age are also possible due to individual reactions to products and their combinations.
Digestive Disorders in Babies Over 3 Years
Children over three years of age are more able to be more aware of their condition. A child at this age can quite clearly explain what exactly he ate during the day, and at what point he felt unwell. In most cases, children over three years old eat with adults, from the general table. Diarrhea can begin after eating heavy, fatty foods and unhealthy foods like convenience foods and sodas. Quite often, preschoolers are also diagnosed with food poisoning and infectious diseases. To minimize the risks of upset stomach and intestines, parents are advised to monitor their child’s diet and personal hygiene.
First aid for diarrhea
If parents notice that the child has diarrhea, what should I do? The adult's task at this point is to sensibly assess the seriousness of the situation. It is advisable to skip meals immediately after a bowel movement with liquid feces. It is useful to give your child tea without sugar or a rosehip broth. If your child has a good appetite, you can feed him a simple, easily digestible food. With diarrhea, it is unacceptable to give dairy products, fresh vegetables and fruits, juices and fatty dishes. If diarrhea has begun in a breast-fed child, it is not worth restricting the consumption of mother's milk. Diarrhea is dangerous for dehydration. With loose stool, it is important to make up for fluid loss in a timely manner. It is important to give plain water or weak tea for drinking, it is better to refuse milk and juices until complete recovery. Before deciding what to give the child from diarrhea and whether to call a doctor, parents should observe the symptoms. If you have a digestive system disorder, you should definitely measure the temperature and make sure that there is no / vomiting.
When is a doctor's call necessary?
If a child has vomiting, diarrhea, fever - what to do, at what point should a doctor be called? It is worth seeking medical help if diarrhea occurs with abundant secretion of liquid feces and does not stop for a long time (12 hours or more). Diarrhea, accompanied by vomiting, is a symptom of an infectious disease, severe poisoning, or specific pathologies of the digestive system. If diarrhea is accompanied by nausea in a small patient, do not postpone contacting a medical institution. An alarming symptom is an increase in body temperature. Typically, with diarrhea, the thermometer shows 38-39 degrees. It is not recommended to give antipyretics on your own if the child has diarrhea and fever. What to do in a similar situation? Call a doctor to examine the patient and prescribe treatment. Urgent consultation of specialists is also necessary if mucus or blood is present in the stool or vomiting of the patient. Such symptoms are an occasion to call the ambulance team. If a child complains of abdominal pain with diarrhea, it is also not worthwhile to start symptomatic treatment on his own. Be sure to visit a doctor!
Drug treatment at home
Means for the treatment of diarrhea and normalization of digestion should be in every children's medicine cabinet. What to give the child from diarrhea at the first symptoms of malaise? The most popular drugs for babies from this category are Smecta and Enterosgel. Both products can be used even for the smallest children and have a convenient form of release. Carefully read the instructions for use. These drugs can be mixed with baby food or given in pure form. If a child has diarrhea without fever, what to do at home? Proven over the years - activated carbon. This is an absorbent drug with virtually no side effects. You can apply it from the first days of life. As a first aid for digestive disorders, a child can be given any drug dispensed from pharmacies without a prescription and suitable for age. The most important thing is to strictly observe the dosage corresponding to the age and weight of the child, and make sure that there are no side effects.
Diet and folk remedies for diarrhea
How to treat diarrhea in a child and is it possible to eat with such a malaise? In case of digestive disorders, in no case should you feed a sick baby forcibly. If a child refuses to eat and behaves passively, offer a drink and do not insist on a full meal. There are frequent cases when diarrhea is combined with a great appetite. In this case, the main task of parents is to carefully monitor the baby’s diet and offer him portions of moderate volume. Our grandmothers also said that you should cook rice in the water if the child has diarrhea. What to do when the baby does not want to eat? Try to drink it with rice broth - water drained after cooking cereals. In both cases, rice is cooked without salt, milk or butter. This is a completely safe and natural remedy that helps stop diarrhea in many cases. Pears have similar remedies. With diarrhea, it is recommended to completely exclude fresh vegetables and fruits from the diet. To reduce the risks of side effects, you should prepare a decoction (compote) of dried pears without adding sugar. Immediately after the first signs of diarrhea appear, you should try to minimize the chance of dehydration. The child should receive enough clean water. It is not recommended to give milk, juices, sweet teas and other special drinks until the baby is completely stabilized. Without restrictions, you can eat rice porridge cooked on water, crackers, dryers and dry cookies without additives. If the child has diarrhea without fever and vomiting, you can try to gradually introduce boiled potatoes, oatmeal porridge, and low-fat veal into the diet. Low-fat broths will also help maintain fluid balance. With diarrhea, it is unacceptable to eat sharp, fatty, smoked dishes and canned foods.
Prevention of diarrhea in children
It is much nicer to think not about how to treat a child’s diarrhea, but how to try to minimize the risks of digestive upsets. The task of parents is to teach their child personal hygiene from an early age. Already at the age of three, the baby can easily learn such useful habits as: washing hands before eating / after using the toilet and the street, regular brushing of teeth and more. It is important to teach your child to eat carefully, sitting at the table, not to eat pieces of food that have fallen on the floor. Fresh vegetables and fruits must be washed thoroughly before they reach the baby's table. Parents are also required to monitor the expiration dates and storage conditions of all products falling into the baby’s plate. New meals should be introduced into the child’s diet in small portions. Be sure to monitor the body's response to unusual treats at the first samples. The appearance of allergies and digestive upsets is a serious reason to refuse to eat any specific foods.
Why is diarrhea dangerous?
Digestive disorders really often occur against the background of nutritional characteristics. Sometimes even a child vomits without fever and diarrhea just because he ate together incompatible foods. Usually in such cases, the baby's condition quickly stabilizes. And yet, in any case, one should not neglect any manifestations of malaise. Very often, when a child vomits and diarrhea is observed against a background of an increase in body temperature, the cause of the malaise can be more serious. Digestive disorders can indicate chronic diseases, poisoning and infectious diseases. Diarrhea in itself is at risk of dehydration. For this reason, it is important to start treatment at the first symptoms and try to contribute to the speedy normalization of digestion. If diarrhea occurs with abundant secretion of liquid feces, accompanied by vomiting and fever, it is urgent to call a doctor. Infectious diseases of this type are often treated in a hospital setting. Be sure to seek professional help, even for a day or more, diarrhea is observed in a child without fever. How to treat such a digestive disorder and what are its causes, the doctor will help determine.